Fakahatchee Strand in the Everglades!

[kylecawazafla]

I went here this Saturday. It's an amazing place!

Here is the entrance!

This is a strange quarry like pool on the side. This was filled with humungous gar, many brim, and there was even an Alligator resting on the side. It is super deep and incongruent with its surroundings.

Does anyone know what this epiphytic plant is?

There are many Taxodium ascendens here. There are a few Taxodium distichum, but not many.

Tillandsia fasciculata. One of the many kinds here! This was the only one low enough to photograph.

What type of fern is this?

Can anyone identify these cool geometric flowers?

Ficus aurea. There are TONS of these there, but most of them don't get that large.

Here is a cool swampy scene

My hiking shoes. I was in a time crunch, so I didn't have that much time to hike around. Next time I will though! There are many bugs here, so I will definitely wear a few bottles of bug spray next time.

[kylecawazafla]

I forgot to mention that these were taken along Janes Scenic Memorial Drive. Here are the Roystoneas. They were damaged by the cold this winter! I was kind of surprised to see cold damaged palms in their habitat.

Okay, this is weird. My favorite picture refuses to upload even though it's in the same format as all of the other pictures. It is of a picture of a juvenile Roystonea growing underneath the canopy. Anyways, if you want to see it, just go here: Click here!

[palmmermaid]

Kyle,

The Fakahatchee Strand is a magical place. Go in the winter and do the swamp walk with a park ranger.

The white flower is I believe Jamaican caper. This is also the home of the ghost orchid that has been so much admired. When the orchids are blooming it is amazing.

[UnderAPalmNapping]

When I saw your bare legs I thought this must be from the winter otherwise we wouldn't see your legs for all the mosquitos... They scoff at Off,and mock Cutter.

...otherwise I am surprised that things got frosted that far south even surrounded by water. Nice pictures...

[OldNed]

Your 1st unknown epiphyte looks like Shoestring Fern..Vittaria lineata

The 2nd looks like Long Strap Fern..Campyloneurum phyllitidis

The deep pool looks like what happens to Miami Oolite (now called Miami Limestone) when it erodes. Much of S. Florida "soil" is that stuff. Lots of fun planting in this-ask the folks on the Discussing Palm Trees Forum. I've heard that it was not uncommon to use dynamite to dig planting holes in Miami years ago.

[kylecawazafla]

Thank you for the IDs!! I really appreciate it. I wasn't sure if that pool was natural or not. I saw three of them directly next to the road. I wondered if they were quarried to use as fill for the actual construction of the road since they appeared to be very deep (more than 10 feet!) and they were rectangularly shaped. I wouldn't be surprised if they were natural since that oolitic limestone is full of deep holes! That's cool that they now call if Miami limestone! I didn't know that. I dug out a Ptychosperma elegans weed from my friends house this weekend and OMG it was super hard to do. I should have used dynamite instead of a shovel.

[Meaghean]

I like your "hiking shoes" very non traditional. i myself often go hiking in flip flops but we have less bugs here

[bubba]

Kyle, You need to read the book Gladesmen, as told by Gle Simmons to Laura Ogden and printed by University Press of Florida. It details Glen's life in the Glades. He was born in 1916 and lived native style off the land like his ancestors. They hunted and fished,lived without air conditioning in waves of mosquitoes so thick it darkened the sun.

Another major past time were illegal distilleries and Glen was often caught between the Fed's and various unrurly groups of humans, while avoiding alligators and cotton-tails. It was true back country survival and living off the land.Yes there was a time when places like Bill Ashley Jungles, Liquor Still Creek Camp, Madeira Farms Jumping Off Place and Little Banana Patch were part of the Glades.

[DoomsDave]

I went here this Saturday. It's an amazing place!

My hiking shoes. I was in a time crunch, so I didn't have that much time to hike around. Next time I will though! There are many bugs here, so I will definitely wear a few bottles of bug spray next time.

That's quite a trip! I didn't get to spend nearly the time in the 'glades or the swamp that I wanted to.

More pictures!

Great Hiking shoes!

Hmm. That little plant with the shiny triple leaves on the right of your right foot looks a lot like poison ivy, or one of its relatives.

If you get a rash, try some wild impatiens stems mashed up and slathered on it. (Don't know if domestic kind will work or not.)

dave

[kylecawazafla]

Bubba! That sounds wild. I think it's very sad to think how recently the native american culture lasted until, and how it's pretty much entirely gone now. The thatched buildings along the Tamiami trail are still pretty cool, but I don't think they're there for practical reasons, other than tourism.

Thanks Dave! I like my hiking shoes too. They're super comfortable. I don't have any more pictures, but someone lent me a nicer camera than the one I have now, so when I go back (in a month or so) I will definitely spend more time there AND take more pictures. I am immune to poison oak/poison ivy as far as I know!

[bubba]

Kyle, Glen Simmons was a cracker, without Indian blood. He lived happily among his Indian buddies with no problems.

[sick1166]

love tha pics

[Moose]

Kyle,

 

The Fakahatchee Strand is a magical place. Go in the winter and do the swamp walk with a park ranger.

 

The white flower is I believe Jamaican caper. This is also the home of the ghost orchid that has been so much admired. When the orchids are blooming it is amazing.

There are 47 naive species of orchids in the Fakahatchee Strand, some are uber rare!

[Ed in Houston]

I went here this Saturday. It's an amazing place!

Can anyone identify these cool geometric flowers?

I believe it is called Button Bush, Cephalanthus occidentalis. I have one in my backyard.

 

Ed in Houston

[Jeff Searle]

Very interesting topic that I missed. Thanks Moose for bumping back up.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

On ‎6‎/‎1‎/‎2010‎ ‎9‎:‎40‎:‎53‎, kylecawazafla said:

I went here this Saturday. It's an amazing place!

 

Here is the entrance!

 

 

This is a strange quarry like pool on the side. This was filled with humungous gar, many brim, and there was even an Alligator resting on the side. It is super deep and incongruent with its surroundings.

 

Does anyone know what this epiphytic plant is?

 

There are many Taxodium ascendens here. There are a few Taxodium distichum, but not many.

 

Tillandsia fasciculata. One of the many kinds here! This was the only one low enough to photograph.

 

What type of fern is this?

 

Can anyone identify these cool geometric flowers?

 

Ficus aurea. There are TONS of these there, but most of them don't get that large.

 

Here is a cool swampy scene

 

My hiking shoes. I was in a time crunch, so I didn't have that much time to hike around. Next time I will though! There are many bugs here, so I will definitely wear a few bottles of bug spray next time.

Gorgeous area.  I wish I would have gone there when I lived in Coral Springs.  On my next trip to Florida, I will have to make it a point to go there.